A true symbol oft Podhale, Giewont is to Zakopane what the Palace of Culture and Science is to Warsaw, minus the regrettable Stalinist ties. Its stark silhouette, reminiscent of a sleeping Góral or maybe knight, has long captured the imagination of locals; according to legend, legions of knights slumber under the mountain to awaken during Poland's 'darkest hour' - though it's worth noting that they did refuse to budge during WWII, arguably the most desperate time for the nation. This aside, artist Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski, 19th-century Zakopane enthusiast, summed up the mountain's importance the best: "Giewont can be seen from almost every cottage, rightly earning the title of King of Zakopane".

The 1984m peak makes for a wonderful and highly popular hike from the city. There are two good starting points: Kuźnice and Strążyńska Polana, though you can also access the mountain from Kościeliska Valley or Kasprowy Wierch if you fancy a longer excursion. The main red trail to the top of Giewont runs from Strążyńska and bypasses the Siklawica waterfall before merging into the blue trail (3h15), but getting to Kuźnice might be easier, as buses run much more frequently (several times an hour vs about once an hour); from Kuźnice, the blue trail will lead you to the top in about 3h20. Buses to both trailheads leave from the temporary bus station and/or the stop in front of the old bus station.

Once reaching the summit (the Góral's nose), you can turn your gaze to Zakopane, which more likely than not will be covered in an awful blanket of smog, or to the lovely Kondratowa Meadow and mountain peaks in the opposite direction - an alternative that makes us want to never return to the lowlands, and instead become a professional mountain goat.